The Boat Named Faith: Hap Jacobs' Legacy

Dudley George Hap Jacobs, born in 1930, was a California surfer and shaper who played a pivotal role in the development of the California surf scene in the 1960s. After honing his shaping skills in Hawaii, Jacobs returned to California and, together with his business partner Dale Velzy, founded Velzy-Jacobs Surfboards. However, their partnership dissolved around 1960, and Jacobs opened his own shop, Jacobs Surfboards, in Hermosa Beach. Jacobs' passion for surfing and shaping led him to create exquisite longboards that garnered a dedicated following. After a hiatus from shaping in the 1970s, Jacobs returned to his craft in the 1990s, continuing to shape extraordinary surfboards until his final board in 2019. Jacobs' legacy in the world of surfing remains enduring, with his skilled craftsmanship and contributions to the sport leaving an indelible mark.

Hap Jacobs was a California surfer and shaper

Dudley George "Hap" Jacobs, born in Los Angeles in 1930, was a California surfer and shaper who played a pivotal role in shaping the state's surf scene in the 1960s. At the age of eight, he moved with his family to Hermosa Beach, where he discovered his passion for surfing at the age of 16.

Jacobs' journey in the world of surfing began with a job at California Surfrider in Manhattan Beach, where he worked with inflatable rubber mats for wave riding. He honed his surfing skills and soon noticed a group of older surfers, including the charismatic Dale Velzy, riding crude redwood surfboards at the Hermosa Beach Pier. This sparked his interest in surfboard shaping, and he went on to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard in Hawaii, where he learned the art of surfboard shaping from the legendary George Downing.

In 1953, Jacobs returned to California and, together with Bev Morgan, a local diver and wetsuit maker, opened Dive 'N Surf in Redondo Beach. The following year, he partnered with Dale Velzy to establish Velzy-Jacobs Surfboards in Venice, California. This partnership lasted until around 1960, when Jacobs opened his own factory and retail shop, Jacobs Surfboards, in Hermosa Beach.

Jacobs' surfboards were known for their quality and craftsmanship, with the iconic diamond-shaped logo becoming a hallmark of excellence. During the surfing craze of the early 1960s in Southern California, Jacobs and his team produced up to 125 meticulously crafted surfboards each week. However, with the emergence of shorter, more manoeuvrable boards in the late 1960s, Jacobs' business faced a challenge as sales dropped.

In 1971, Jacobs sold his share of the business and pursued commercial fishing for the next two decades. However, his passion for surfboard shaping brought him back in 1991, coinciding with the resurgence of longboard surfing. For the next 25 years, he continued to create extraordinary longboards, sharing his knowledge and inspiring a new generation of surfboard makers.

Hap Jacobs passed away on December 19, 2021, at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most respected and influential craftsmen in the surfboard building industry.

He helped create the California surf scene in the 60s

Dudley George "Hap" Jacobs, born in 1930 in Los Angeles, was instrumental in shaping the California surf scene of the 1960s. As a teenager, he began working at California Surfrider, where he first encountered surfing by riding surf mats. After serving in the Coast Guard in Hawaii, he returned to California and, in 1953, partnered with Bev Morgan to open Dive 'N Surf in Redondo Beach. Morgan crafted wetsuits while Jacobs made surfboards.

In 1954, Jacobs teamed up with Dale Velzy to open Velzy-Jacobs Surfboards in Venice, California. This partnership lasted about four years, after which Jacobs opened his own factory/retail shop in Hermosa Beach. By the mid-1960s, Jacobs Surfboards was producing up to 125 meticulously crafted surfboards weekly, and he had assembled a stellar surf team that included names like Robert August and Mickey Dora.

Jacobs' skilled craftsmanship and surfing prowess significantly influenced the burgeoning California surf scene of the 1960s. His attention to detail and pursuit of perfection in board-building set a standard for the industry. He was also known for his friendly and humble demeanour, always willing to share stories of his experiences in surfing and board-building.

In the early 1970s, with the rise of shortboards, Jacobs left the surfboard business and turned to commercial fishing. However, his legacy in shaping the California surf scene of the 1960s remains enduring.

Jacobs was a pioneer of modern surfboard making

Dudley George "Hap" Jacobs was a pioneer of modern surfboard making. Born in 1930 in Los Angeles, Jacobs started surfing at the age of 16 and began his shaping career in 1953 after returning from a stint with the Coast Guard in Hawaii.

Jacobs opened a retail shop in Redondo Beach with Bev Morgan, a local diver and wetsuit manufacturer. The business was named Dive N' Surf. Soon after, Jacobs sold his interest in the business and, in 1954, partnered with Dale Velzy to open Velzy-Jacobs Surfboards in Venice, California.

Jacobs and Velzy's partnership lasted four years, after which Jacobs opened his own factory and retail shop in Hermosa Beach. By the mid-1960s, Jacobs Surfboards was producing up to 125 finely crafted surfboards every week. The Jacobs Diamond logo, created around this time, became one of the most enduring labels in surfing.

Jacobs was known for his skilled craftsmanship and attention to detail. He focused on creating aesthetically pleasing boards, treating them as art forms rather than just sporting equipment. He was also a mentor to many younger surfers and shapers, including Matt Calvani, who went on to revive the Bing brand.

In the early 1970s, with the rise of shortboards, Jacobs left the surfboard business and turned to commercial fishing. However, he returned to shaping in the early 1990s with the resurgence of longboards. For the next 25 years, he continued to produce extraordinary longboards until he shaped his last surfboard in April 2019.

Jacobs passed away on December 19, 2021, at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most widely recognized and respected craftsmen in the surfboard-building business.

He was born in Los Angeles and moved to Hermosa Beach as a child

Dudley George "Hap" Jacobs was born in 1930 in Los Angeles, California. Jacobs's father was a plumber, and the family originally lived in West L.A. However, in 1938, when Hap was eight years old and in the fourth grade, they moved to Hermosa Beach.

At first, Hap was unhappy about leaving his friends in West L.A. behind. But soon, he embraced the beach lifestyle. Two years after moving to Hermosa Beach, at age 16, Hap got a job at California Surfrider in Manhattan Beach. California Surfrider rented inflatable rubber mats for wave-riding, and Hap's job was to sweep off the mats and keep them inflated. As a perk, he was allowed to use the mats to ride waves at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Around this time, in 1946, Hap noticed a group of older boys with crude redwood surfboards at the Hermosa Beach Pier, led by the charismatic Dale Velzy. This was Hap's introduction to surfing, and he started the sport himself at age 16.

After graduating from Redondo Union High School in 1951, Hap enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed in Oahu, Hawaii, for two years. While in Hawaii, he learned the art of surfboard shaping from the American surfing legend George Downing. He also met his future wife, Patricia, during his time in the Coast Guard.

He was a commercial swordfish boat operator

After leaving the surfboard business in 1970, Hap Jacobs became a commercial swordfish boat operator. He bought a swordfishing boat, which he named the "Patricia J", after his wife, Patricia. He also ran the fuel dock at King Harbour between swordfish runs.

Jacobs had always enjoyed fishing, and he found commercial swordfishing fun and a good way to make money. He was also drawn to the ocean, having grown up by the beach in Hermosa, California, and having served in the Coast Guard in Hawaii.

In the early 1990s, Jacobs returned to board shaping, producing extraordinary longboards for the next 25 years or so. He was inspired to return to the craft by the resurgence of longboard surfing. By this time, with decades of experience under his belt, his boards more closely resembled works of art than mere craftsmanship.

Frequently asked questions